The instant invention represents improvements to my prior inventions embodied in two prior U.S. patents, U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,306 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,980, as well as to my above referenced U.S. pending patent application Ser. No. 12/316,413.
As an example, a novel illumination unit, including its light bead and light wand embodiments, is enabled by multi-contact universally jointed power and/or signal connector devices disclosed in patent application Ser. No. 12/316,413. Such connector devices permit forming electrical connections for at least four separate lines of electrical communication through a joint providing for full rotation and partial swivel between the two devices. (In the originally submitted drawings the four separate electrical lines are indicated as red, green, blue and black, for clarity.)
The connector devices are referred to as mateable plugs and sockets. It is somewhat arbitrary as to which connector device should be called the plug and which should be called the socket. Herein and in the claims, whenever a mateable plug and socket are referred to, it should be understood that the two units could be reversed. There is no particular magic as to which device comes first or where, although there might be manufacturing considerations.
Given a plug and socket that can be joined to provide electrical communication between at least four different electric lines while providing for full rotation and limited swivel between plug and socket, the formation of a string of light beads is possible providing at least three separately controllable colored strings, each colored string independently controllable, the beads electrically arranged in parallel.
FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 offer schematic representations of a decorative lighting device referred to as a “light bead.”
FIG. 3 illustrates mateable plug and socket connectors.
FIG. 4 illustrates an insulating end unit.
FIGS. 6 through 9 offer schematic representations of types of multi port connectors.
FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate the principles of parallel circuitry, utilized in the instant illumination units.
It should be understood that the LEDs as illustrated in the figures, are assumed to incorporate a shunt such that electricity passes through the LED whether or not the LED is itself operable. Such maintains the parallel connections preferably embodied in the electric circuits. (Alternately, wiring could be provided.)
It should also be understood that, preferably, either the LEDs provide a one way electric flow device or switch, to prevent reverse electric flow, or that such a device or switch is provided separately, as useful.
The illustrated illumination device is capable of being connected to independent controllers in order to create independent on/off conditions for each line, indicated as separately colored lines. Such provides flexibility and improvement to the decorative lighting devices of the prior art.
The incorporation of separately controllable multiple light emitting elements allows for providing a color spectrum or a rainbow effect that can either cycle over time or be fixed, to match a user's decorative preferences.
Provision of a weatherproof gasket as illustrated in several drawings permits use of the new decorative devices in outdoor environments, a further improvement over the prior art.
Long strands of the light bead type lighting device can be used for seasonal lighting as appropriate for holidays. With the improvements described herein, the light bead devices can be used for both indoor and outdoor lighting displays. In addition, the light beads could accept digital programming signals to create multiple color arrangements and alternate on/off conditions for pre-designed lighting patterns.
Light wands, forming lighted sticks, could be particularly useful to extend along structural sections such as the trunk of a tree or along a branch. In fact, a light wand could be decorated to form a tree branch.
Light beads can be manufactured in various sizes as appropriate for the application or to create strands of light beads of graduated size. Light beads of either uniform or graduated sizes could be draped to create illuminated garlands such as on the end of Christmas tree branches.